Muskrat River

This flat water canoe day trip, 12 km north of Cobden, travels from Muskrat Lake along Muskrat River to Mud Lake and further if you desire. Be sure to bring binoculars to view: Great Blue Herons, Kingfishers, American Coots, Gallinules, Black Terns and the occasional Osprey. This canoe route follows a section of Samuel de Champlain’s 1615 expedition into the interior of Canada. Canoe up the northwestern end of Muskrat Lake past the permanent summer camp. Muskrat Lake, 14 km long, lies in a pre-glacial valley that occupies an old fault line. The western shore of this long, narrow lake abuts a clay plain while, to the east, an escarpment of Precambrian rock rises more than 60m.



Enter the Muskrat River at the end of the Lake. Pass under the bridge on Hwy 17 and the railway bridge where Barn Swallows nest and race between the steel girders. For those seeking a shorter trip, put in the canoe at the launch beside the bridge just off Hwy 17 and continue upstream. Close by the river flows through a Silver Maple swamp where there is a small stand of Ostrich Ferns along the left (southern) shoreline. Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons and the occasional Osprey survey the shoreline of the river which are lined with Willows and Silver Maple trees. Follow the river to Mud Lake.



Mud Lake is a great place to view American Coots, Gallinules, Cormorants and rare Black Terns which frequent the area in summer. For the half-day trip head back the way you came. For the longer trip cross the 3 km wide lake and rejoin the Muskrat River. Paddle down stream until you run out of steam. The trees on the shoreline are a good place to rest, lie back in your canoe and have lunch.

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